Lead singer and songwriter of Canadian indie band Blanket Barricade, Wesley Krauss, may not be gay, but he’s very definitely on our side.

….as a child I was bullied a lot for being considered gay and it made quite a lasting impression on me. Things may be different nowadays but growing up in the latter half of the 90s I can attest to the fact that being considered gay was probably the worst possible social stigma in BC public schools. Besides my own experiences I also have many gay friends and colleagues and am a strong supporter of gay rights…

One of my gay friends explained to me once how “velvet” was often used to mean “gay” and so I thought it fitting to use the title “A Velvet Affair” to describe what was happening during these pride marches in Russia and Sri Lanka. (gayvancouver.net)

This is the first single from O Nouveau, Canadian duo Edi Cheung and Ramon Vitung, and despite the cheesy video (we felt a bit sorry for the girl), it’s cute and catchy. We’re looking forward to their first EP, Freedom, due soon.

From the album Jet Black by indie artist Gentleman Reg, who’s Canadian. He’s openly gay, and has played a number of Gay Pride festivals. In the U.S., Gentleman Reg is best known for being featured in the 2006 John Cameron Mitchell movie, Shortbus, in which he made a brief cameo and contributed to the film’s soundtrack.

“I didn’t want to hide the fact that I was gay. I wanted it to be known. But at the same time, I don’t want to be politically preachy or alienating in any way. I still want the music to be inclusive. Kind of like Rufus Wainwright. His range of fans is really diverse. He doesn’t just attract gay males.”